Chapter 113 Pt.1:
Anton followed the Deputy through the streets of Atros. When he heard there were problems with the Beast-kin his mind began to swirl and vomit forth horrible images. Assaults, beatings, lynching. He knew his mind was creating the worst possible images possible so he tried his best to brush them aside, though it still made his skin cold.
Kal was even more worried than he was. After nearly two decades she saw the beginning of true freedom for the Beast-kin. And not even a day had passed and it was starting to fall apart. Verona and Cetina held themselves better but still were a little concerned. Perhaps Verona had unwavering faith in his ability to fix things no matter what? Anton hoped he could uphold that image, if that was true.
Small groups of Atros villagers, Seocurians and Beast-kin looked on as they passed. While they had started to cluster in their racial groups there didn’t appear to be much, if any, animosity between each other, and they hadn’t stopped when they saw Anton approach.
So what is actually happening over East then? These people seem fine…
The Deputy said nothing, only taking glances back to make sure they were following.
As they passed through the central plaza towards the East Anton saw the construction of Atros continuing on with an unshakable pace. Just like with the smithy the builders were working hard even though the Goblin threat had only been beaten back a few hours ago. Large wooden beams moved along the streets and the sounds of hammering wood filled the air. Atros only had simple iron nails, Anton didn’t think that screws would be something available for some time, and no drills so they had to be hammered in hard.
Focus. You can talk to Zac about it later.
They passed through the inner ring of Atros and into the second. After being led down a side street and into the next row of houses Anton saw a small group of Deputies, their blue armbands on proud display, standing around a group of nervous Beast-kin. Anton’s immediate thought was that they were trying to encircle them but they were instead trying their best to contain whatever was going on. There weren’t that many Beast-kin, perhaps fifteen or twenty, but whatever it was it was serious enough for someone to call for his aid. As he approached he recognised one of the Beast-kin. In fact, it was hard not to. Eight black legs attached to a spider’s body twitched on the ground as a dark brown skinned woman upper half bobbed to and fro.
“Ulyaa?” Anton said softly.
The Deputy signalled the others. Anton recognised one that turned around as Dennis. He was clearly exasperated by something serious and beyond his capacity to fix. Before he could say anything Marion peered from behind Dennis. Her tail, much shorter and less alluring than Kal’s beautiful limb, perked up at seeing them.
“Anton!” Marion gently pushed past Dennis before dragging him with her. Dennis looked a little surprised to be dragged by the Feline Beast-kin. Ulyaa, standing at the edge of the Beast-kin, turned and smiled but quickly returned her attention back to the group. She was trying to push through but was not having any luck.
“Marion. Dennis.” Anton began. “What’s happening? I was told to come here right away.”
“Oh…” Dennis looked at the Deputy, the man himself looked a little embarrassed. “It seems one of my men overheard me. I said I wished Anton was here, and that you’d be able to figure this out. So…”
“Sorry, Dennis.” The Deputy hung his head low.
“It’s alright.” Dennis patted his shoulder. “I think this will work out best. Go back to the others.”
The Deputy gave a curt nod and returned to the other deputies. Dennis took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair.
“It may be a little overreaction, considering what’s actually happening, but since you’re here…”
Kal held Anton’s shoulder as she stepped forward. “Mother. What is happening?”
“Something that I thought might happen.” Marion scratched her cheek. “It’s not the human's fault but…We’ve never been in a situation like this. And…There are a few things coming out and it’s all a bit…”
Anton along the narrow side streets. The whole area appeared reserved for the Beast-kin, it was probably a little much to ask them to sleep alongside the Seocurian refugees just yet, but there was something odd about them. They weren’t inside their homes, rather they stood in the streets looking very nervous and lost.
“What’s wrong with them?” Verona asked. “They look…”
“They’re utterly lost,” Anton replied. “Confused and scared. And it’s just starting to sink in that they aren’t slaves anymore. They’ve never been in a position where they have the day off. I suppose the forced march we put them through kept their minds focused on that task but now…Now they’re just spiralling out…”
“Yeah.” Dennis looked at the group of Beast-kin. “It’s not all of them. Marion here has been doing a great job getting them all to settle in and relax but there are a few still holdouts.”
“So those are fine?” Verona pointed to the worried groups of Beast-kin.
“They’re better than they were.” Marion sighed. “A lot better.”
“And you’re fine?” Anton asked.
“When…” Marion barred her teeth. “When I was pregnant with Kal, R...He, kept me away from the other Beast-kin. I don’t know why he wanted to keep me away from the others, probably because he knew what I was carrying, but I’m more used to sleeping and being on my own.”
Kal’s grip became unbelievably fierce at just the merest hint of a mention of her father. Anton knew their relationship was unbelievably terrible. He had ripped off Kal’s ear. And possibly worse.
“Is there anything we can do?” Anton asked.
Marion gently shook her head. “I honestly don’t think so. Some of these will just take time. But…” She looked to the group of Beast-kin that Ulyaa hovered about. “Some might need something a bit more direct. More personal.”
“And that’s why there are so many of your deputies here?”
“No.” Dennis nodded to the Beast-kin group. “We heard crying, it was pretty loud, and by the time we got here a lot of Beast-kin had gathered. Some already had weapons and we thought they were about to attack us but Marion and…The Minotaur?”
“Kristof,” Marion said softly.
Dennis nodded. “Kristof. Kristof and Marion were able to keep them under control. They seem more than a little afraid of the Minotaur, Kristof.”
“Have you seen the muscles of that man?” Anton asked, folding his arms. “He could snap our arms in a moment. My throat remembers that strength.”
Marion looked away, embarrassed, her tail drooping slightly as Dennis frowned in confusion.
“Perhaps I’ll tell everyone later-”
“Please don’t.” Marion awkwardly chuckled. “Please?”
“Okay. But where is he? He can’t be that hard to miss.”
“Right now he’s in the next street trying to keep everything calm. No one is going to mess with my Kristof.” Marion flicked her nose up as her tail swished through the air. Verona chuckled at the sight and Kal’s grip loosened.
“We’ll deal with this…” Anton peered around their shoulders. “So who even is crying?”
“Take a guess.” Marion smiled faintly.
“It’s not Irso, is it? I know I see Ulyaa there…”
“No. But getting close.” Marion turned to Dennis. “Since they’re here I want to go find Kristof and see if there’s anyone else that needs help.”
Dennis nodded as Marion gave them all a small wave before turning away. Just like her daughter, her tail lifted the back of her shirt ever so slightly. Unlike Kal, her dark aqua fur covered all over her body, or at least what little Anton could see. Thankfully Kal didn’t see him looking.
“Dennis. Could you please get everyone else moving and away from here? It’ll be much harder to deal with this when there’s over thirty people just standing about.”
Dennis waved to his deputies and repeated the order.
No one has said anything about me calling the Beast-kin, people. That’s a start. Words and names are important.
“So who even is it?” Cetina asked softly.
The deputies started to move the Beast-kin on. While most slowly and perhaps begrudgingly followed the instructions Ulyaa didn’t leave, she pranced nervously on the spot, as she turned to the front of the house and the source of the disturbance. Eider sat on the veranda of the house, Irso at her side. Eider held her head in her hands, her clawed scaled hands digging deep into her scale covered head. She wasn’t moving but Irso was trying her best to console her. The Drakeling appeared to have no idea what she was doing, an awkward hand gently rubbed Eider’s back as she looked on worried. Her tail, alongside Eider’s, lay flat on the ground. Ulyaa slowly approached and lowered her spider body until it almost touched the ground.
“Okay…” Verona looked at Anton.
“This…Dennis. Could you please make sure the other Beast-kin are alright? We’ll handle this from here.”
“Okay. Good luck.”
Dennis left the area with his deputies, leaving them alone. Anton took a deep breath as he approached. Ulyaa and Irso turned to him, Ulyaa gave a small wave while Irso barred some of her large teeth. Not in anger but in exasperation. Some of Irso’s expressions were open to misinterpretation.
“Anton.” Ulyaa gave a curt nod. “Kal, Verona, Cetina. I…” She sighed as she looked at Eider. “I don’t know what happened. We…”
“Just take a deep breath.” Anton looked at the unmoving Eider. Now there was no one around he could hear faint sniffling and cries coming from Eider. Even though Anton knew that normally Eider could hear perfectly normally but now she was utterly unresponsive. “No one tried something with her, did they?”
“No. No.” Ulyaa shook her hands as she raised her body to normal height. “It happened after we came back from the…central plaza, or whatever it’s called. We came back here, I opened the door and went inside. Eider didn’t and when I looked back she was crying and…” Ulyaa gestured to Eider. Eider gripped so hard onto her hide that he could see the skin and flesh that lay underneath her scales. If she kept her hold up for much longer she would hurt herself.
“Eider?” Anton knelt in front of the Cobra Beast-kin. Thin tears dripped off her face and onto her scaled legs. Her toes gripped hard into the dirt. “Can you hear me?”
He waited a few moments before grumbling.
“Do you think we haven’t tried that?” Irso asked flatly, her normal growl far more diminished than normal. “If it was that easy then I wouldn’t be here.”
“Irso!” Ulyaa hissed at the Drakeling. Irso frowned at Ulyaa but didn’t apologise.
“Eider?” Kal knelt next to Anton. “It’s Kal. What’s wrong?”
Again no response, perhaps she moved slightly but it might have just been his imagination.
“So you were just about to enter your new house and then this?” Anton asked Ulyaa.
“Yes, Anton. We’d been shown the home but Eider…She didn’t want to go inside. She basically dragged me away to take a walk back to the Central Plaza thing. If…”
“Go on.”
“I…She kept asking questions even when I suggested that we head back here so we can settle in. It was like she didn’t want to come back here. I didn’t really think much of it at the time…”
“I thought you were the one that was more nervous before?” Verona approached Ulyaa from behind, inspecting her spider body closely. Ulyaa frowned and manoeuvred herself away from Verona’s gaze. Verona shrugged. “But I don’t remember Eider looking or sounding that, well, nervous.”
“That’s just how she is.” Ulyaa folded her arms underneath her chest. “I was a bit nervous but I didn’t think she was actually worried more than me...”
“She puts up a strong front but underneath she can be quite soft?” Anton asked.
“What are you trying to say?” Irso growled as her free hand flexed her claws.
“While she might appear happy and enthusiastic on the outside, comparatively, on the inside she could be very nervous, scared and frightened, again comparatively. What you know of her might just be a front that’s never come down before, at least you may have never seen it. Maybe.” Anton smiled bitterly at Ulyaa. “But if that is true then she kept it up because she didn’t want to worry her friends. You had more than enough to worry about in Seocuria.”
Neither Beast-kin said a word.
“I may have been a little harsh and hasty with my analysis.” Anton approached Eider. “But it’ll be easier once she starts speaking.”
Eider still breathed but her mouth was clamped shut tight. The muscles at the back of her jaw bulged underneath the effort she exerted.
She’s not listening, so it doesn’t matter what we say she's not going to move. That only leaves really one method. I might want to check my poison immunity for this one.
Anton chanted the poison immunity prayer aloud. It appeared to still be working but only confused everyone present. They didn’t say anything but looked to one another for an answer.
“Eider?” Anton poked her arm. “I need you to let go of your head before you rip it off.”
Again Eider didn’t move. Anton sighed as he reached for one of Eider’s hands. He caught Irso staring daggers at him. She held his stare for a moment before pursing her lips, somewhat difficult given the number and size of her teeth, and removed her hand.
“Come on.” Anton touched her cool scaled arm. “I want to know what’s happening. But in order to do that, I need you to come out of this tight little ball that you’ve gotten yourself into.”
Eider shook her head, her first sign of any recognition.
“So you can hear me. What happened?”
“I…” Eider let out a single croaky word before shaking her head.
“You can tell us but first you I need to let go.” Anton gently held her wrist and tried to pull. She budged a little but it wasn’t much. Her fingers dug into her skin even harder.
“Okay, Eider. Now I’m starting to get annoyed.” Anton held her other wrist. “And if you don’t at least talk to me I’m going to have to shock you so you’ll let go.”
“What?” Eider’s grip loosened slightly.
“I know how to make my lightning magic just weak enough so that it won’t kill someone but it’ll give them a really nasty jolt. And after that their body goes numb and limp. I don’t want to have to do it to you Eider but I will since I don’t have time for you to be sitting here like this forever. So, will you please let go, Eider?”
Eider’s breathing quickened before she gave a tiny nod. Anton didn’t relinquish his hold until she started to move. Her fingers had dug deep into her scales, they clicked and popped as her claws came free, and left many dimples and scratches on her otherwise smooth blue and purple scales. Slowly her hands fell into her lap. She kept her head down and refused to raise it. Her eyes, normally bright green like Kal’s, were puffy and red with thin lines of tears running down her face. Eider glanced up, caught his eye and looked away. Irso tried to hold her shoulder again but was brushed off by the sullen Cobra. Irso looked shocked, even after all the teasing she put them through she had probably never been rebuffed when she was trying to be helpful. She looked at Anton but he could give her no help.
“Don’t move,” Anton said softly as he reached out to her hand.
He chanted a healing prayer, the scratches and minor self-inflicted wounds disappeared and Eider’s breathing became calmer.
If I’d known this was going to happen I would have brought Luna. That little white bundle would be useful right now…
“I’m not going to ask if you’re okay.” Anton began. “But I want to know what happened. All of your friends do too, they don’t want you to be a state like this.” Eider gave the tiniest of nods. “So what happened?”
Eider scrunched her eyes tight. “I…I couldn’t go inside.” She sounded like she was about to cry again. “I just…couldn’t.”
Anton didn’t speak, neither did anyone, and allowed her to continue uninterrupted.
“I was fine on the trip.” Eider wiped away a teardrop that ran down her face. “I was fine sleeping in the big building and out in the open. But when I saw Ulyaa actually going into…” Eider chocked up.
Anton looked at Ulyaa.
“I don’t know,” Ulyaa said softly. Kal stepped forward and held Eider’s knee. At least she wasn’t brushed off or pushed away. “I don’t have a problem with it...”
Eider shook her head. “Because you’re not a Cobra. You wouldn’t understand.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Ulyaa was looking more heartbroken and upset by the moment. Verona gently held her shoulder, which seemed to help, leaving Cetina standing alone and looking very awkward.
“Cobras can’t have children with other Beast-kin.” Eider continued. “I don’t know why but…”
Perhaps messing with the Lamia’s to make the Cobra’s did something to their DNA? Now they’re too different a species to interbreed properly.
“We don’t give birth like the rest of you.” Eider looked up at Anton, her eyes freshly red and wet. “Even Arachnids and Drakelings have it just like you humans. We…lay eggs. Quite a few at a time.”
“And they kept track of when you were ready?” Anton asked gently.
Eider nodded. “They did.” She scratched the ridge of her nose, where the thin blue line of scales, speckled with red, stopped. “It seems that this turns completely red when I can…”
“Oh.” Anton looked at their small house. “And they would take you to a room like this when it was.”
Eider nodded, more tears running down her face. Anton sighed softly and gently held Eider’s hand. There was almost no strength returned.
“I’m sorry I didn’t know-”
“It’s not that.” Eider withdrew her hand, her claws dragged across his skin and left tiny white lines. “I never actually had one that was actually was…You know. But I still have to…pass my eggs. I guess it’s just like everyone else.”
“How often does that happen?”
“Um…Probably once a season? Maybe. I don’t keep track of things like that.”
“I-”
“That doesn’t bother me so much.” Eider continued. “I got used to it. But…What I can’t stop seeing and hearing when I look into that room is…”
She trailed off, fighting back another bout of crying as the tears flowed again. Kal rubbed her knee but it didn’t have any effect.
“Do you know how to write?” Anton asked. “Sometimes it can be easier to write it rather than say it.”
Eider shook her head. “I don’t know how to write. Or read.”
“Well, could you just whisper it to me?” Anton moved in close. “So you don’t have to say it loudly.”
Eider nodded. Irso and Kal backed away slightly.
“They smashed one of my eggs,” Eider whispered. “When they find out that an egg isn’t fertilised they just throw it away. I’ve never had one that was fertilised so they just throw them all out…And one time there was a baby in it.” Eider started crying again. “The only one that I’ve ever had and they just threw it out like it was trash, even laughing when they saw.” She looked up at him with tears streaming down her face, small rivulets of liquid trailing out of her nose. “I saw it…A little baby…My…”
Eider broke down and began crying again. Anton gently rubbed her shoulder, there wasn’t much else he could do right now. Kal stepped forward and held Eider’s hands. It helped and Eider slowly calmed down.
“How…How long ago was it?” Anton asked softly.
“Ugh.” Eider released a hand. “About ten, maybe eight winters ago.” Kal looked at Anton, frowning lightly but not asking. “I tried to forget about it…I almost had. But-”
“But then you saw the inside of the house and it all came back? Because that’s where…”
Eider nodded.
“What did?” Irso asked as she held her shoulder.
Eider patted Irso’s hand. She probably was never going to repeat what she just said to him.
“It’s okay Irso.” Eider smiled at Irso, though it was clearly quite forced. “I feel a bit better now.” Eider took a deep breath and scratched her leg. “Really, I do.”
“I’m sorry that you had to go through that memory,” Anton said. “But, if you want, I’m sure that we can find you somewhere different to live if-”
Eider raised a hand and cut Anton off. “It’s okay. I just couldn’t stop seeing it.”
“Well…How are you now about going inside now?”
Eider turned back to their house. Her hood shrunk and her hands gripped tight. “I…” She slapped her face. “I think I’ll be okay. I need to be.”
Anton looked at Kal, she didn’t look convinced. “I would feel better if you actually went inside for me.”
Eider gulped and stood up, her legs and hands were shaking slightly. She took a deep breath and entered their house. Irso flashed Anton a look, one of worry and concern. Anton tried to wave down her concerns unsuccessfully.
“Is she going to be alright?” Kal asked.
“I don’t know.” Anton stopped as Irso approached him. “I honestly don’t know.”
“What did she tell you?” Irso asked, her usual grouchiness gone.
“I don’t think she’d want me to say.” Anton looked at Eider. She stood just inside the room and was slowly looking around. “It definitely sounded pretty personal.”
Irso grunted as she looked at Eider. She still looked a bit nervous but nowhere near as before.
“How are you feeling?” Anton asked as he approached the door. He didn’t go inside or block the way, just in case it caused another memory to surface, but peeked his head through.
Eider gave a small nod as she turned around. “Now that I’m actually in here it’s not that bad.” Her tail, short and fat compared to Kal’s and Irso’s long and thin, wasn’t swaying through the air but no longer tucked between her legs. She returned to the door, stopping a meter away. “It’s…It’s just a house. It’s not that place in Seocuria.”
“Are you going to be alright?” Anton asked.
“I think I will be.” Eider forced a smile. Slowly it became softer and more natural, especially after several more breaths. “It’s just a building. That’s all.”
“If you’ve ever got a problem just know that you can you can always talk to us.” Anton smiled. “Because you have a great circle of friends that aren’t going to let you down. I know that Irso and Ulyaa were extremely worried about you.”
Ulyaa slowly approached and pushed her way past Anton. She reached out and held Eider’s hands, the Cobra looked very embarrassed. “If you have something that’s worrying you, you can talk to me. We’ve always been friends. Right?”
“Sorry, Ulyaa.” Eider hugged Ulyaa tight. “My mind just got muddled up. I couldn’t stop thinking about it.”
“I’ll stay with Eider for now.” Ulyaa turned her human body while her spider body remained stationary, something that mentally jarred with Anton. “I think we’ll just stay here until dinner…Maybe just outside in the fresh air.”
“Thanks, Ulyaa. I feel better with you here.” Eider chuckled, her tail swishing once through the air.
“If you are feeling better we should probably keep moving.” Anton patted the wooden door frame. “Make sure that the other Beast-kin are okay as well.”
Anton took a step away from the door before something cool and smooth grabbed his hand. Eider held his hand, though she herself looked surprised that her body had moved like that.
“Please.” She quickly relinquished her hold. “Don’t tell anyone what I said.” She stepped forward and held her hand close to her chest. “I haven’t told anyone else before. Ever.”
“I won’t tell anyone.” Anton smiled as he patted her hands. “Ever. You have my word.”
Eider gave a small nod before turning back into the house and walking to the beds on the far side. One was normal while the other was two stuck together.
“I see that someone’s made arrangements for you, Ulyaa,” Anton said to the Arachnid.
Ulyaa softened, enjoying the change of topic. “Yes. That’s why I wasn’t so eager to come back. I don’t really want to have sleep against the wall.”
“What do you mean…” Verona poked her head around Anton’s shoulder. She looked at the two single beds pushed together against the wall. “Oh. Right. How do you normally sleep anyway? On your back, front or side?”
Eider laughed, seemingly an honest one. “Usually it’s on her front. And her legs just splayed out everywhere. Usually on top of one of us.”
“Eider,” Ulyaa grumbled as she rolled her eyes. “I have to sleep on my front otherwise I’ll pin my legs and then I won’t be able to feel them in the morning. If I did that, at least when I used to I got beaten until I could move.”
“I’m sure that made you work faster,” Anton said snidely.
Ulyaa chuckled. “That’s what they thought.”
“Right. Well, you three, if you need us our house is on the western side of Atros along the main street. Just look for the biggest building. We might not always be there though but if a guard doesn’t know where we are that’ll be your best bet.”
“Thank you, Anton.” Eider smiled faintly.
Anton gave a final wave before turning away. Ulyaa entered the house, the door was wide enough for her to enter without problems and began speaking with Eider. Anton had no idea what they were going to talk about but the two were obviously great friends and needed to talk some things through. He wondered if Eider was going to tell her what she had told him.
Since every one of Kal’s friends is essentially the same age as her I wonder if they have any children back in Seocuria.
When Anton reached the centre of the street Irso grumbled loudly.
“What a waste of help I was.” Irso cast her head down. “I couldn’t do anything for her. Even though I’m supposed to protect them.”
“You did the best you could,” Kal said. “I’m sure Eider would have been far worse off without you.”
Irso shrugged. “Perhaps. But I don’t like feeling so helpless.” She kicked at the dirt, sending dust everywhere. Anton noticed that her claws were sharp enough to kick up the dirt only where she had touched, leaving a clear gouge in the ground.
"Maybe," Irso grumbled again. She looked back to Eider and Ulyaa, still talking to one another, and sighed. "I don't really know anymore. I...Their parents asked me to look out for them since no one is going to mess with me. But now they're safe..." Irso shook her head again. "I don't know. I never had these feelings while we were still slaves. Being lost and confused."
"Isn't that kind of a good thing though?" Verona asked, deliberately keeping Anton between her and a set of razor-sharp claws. "Now you don't have to worry about being attacked."
"We'll see about that." Irso's tail flicked like a whip. "A bit early to say if it's going to work out."
"I know it will." Kal didn't hide behind Anton. Not completely at least.
"If you say so, Kal."
"Which house is yours?" Anton asked. Irso pointed to the house just beside Ulyaa's and Eider's. "Right. You told us that before. Well, if something goes wrong again you'll be right there to help."
"Unless it's someone trying to hurt them I don't think I'm going to do much good."
"So what now?" Verona asked. "Looks like things are going alright in there."
Irso frowned as she scratched the back of her head. "I don't have anything to do right now and standing around’s not doing me any good. I don't know if that was a good idea, Anton."
"Perhaps. I didn't want everyone to go to work straight away, thinking that it was going to be just like Seocuria. Now that I think about it the idea of a day off doesn't really apply to most people. Only the super-rich."
"They wouldn’t know what work is." Irso chuckled. "I've been thinking more about the Smithy you were talking about. Since we've still got quite a bit of the day left I wanted to check it out. See what it's like before tomorrow."
"We need to head that way to pick up Luna," Anton said. "I'll introduce you to Jonathan and the rest of the smiths. I...I was about to warn you that the place is exceptionally loud but I'm almost certain that you already know that."
Irso nodded. "Spent most of my life in one. Haven't lost my hearing yet."
I'm betting that after I healed you any sort of tinnitus disappeared.
"We just need to check with Marion and Dennis, see if there are any more Beastkin that are in trouble, beyond just needing time to adjust, then we'll head there."
"Thanks." Irso almost smiled but, at least for Anton, it showed off way too many teeth. He kept his surprise to a minimum and Irso didn't appear to realise.
Anton gave a final look at the Arachnid and Cobra. Both appeared very calm now, no hint that a few minutes ago one was clawing at their own head.
"Find us if you have any problems," Anton said loudly.
They didn't say anything back but both gave a serious nod. With everything thing done that they could do, that wouldn't come over as meddling or overbearing, they all gave a final wave and slowly moved along the narrow street.
"Irso?" Anton slowed as they walked between two houses. "Make sure that you keep an eye on them as much as you reasonably can. I don't think Eider is out of the woods just yet."
"I'm not sure what you mean by that," Irso spoke up from the rear. "But I would anyway."
"Good. This may come across as an odd question but have you had children before?"
Verona and Kal stumbled at his words, Cetina chocked on her breath and started coughing heavily. A few quick thumps to her chest and she was back to normal. At least physically.
"What are you asking?" Cetina said exasperatedly.
"Yeah..." Kal trailed off while Verona held back a smile.
"Four," Irso replied, her voice flat and uninterested. "It could be five. It's not something I kept track of."
"You don't even know how many times you've given birth?" Verona asked shocked.
Irso shrugged. "Wasn't my decision. It was the Drakeling elders in Danafra. They told me I needed to have children, to keep our species continuing. So..."
"I hope it was at least somewhat consensual?" Anton asked.
Irso shrugged again. "What I wanted wasn't even considered."
"So where are they now?" Kal asked. "Not the elders..."
"No idea. They were taken from me right after they were born. The first time I..." Irso flexed her clawed hands. "But after the second I gave up caring. They were going to take them no matter what."
"The Seocurian Masters are a sick bunch," Anton said softly as they passed a small group of slightly worried Beastkin.
"It's not them that do it," Irso grumbled. "They get other Beastkin to do it for them."
"So you'll hate them and not the masters?"
Irso nodded. "I still hate the Drakeling that took my first. Huh. Guess you're right."
"And once they're gone..."
"Never saw them again." Irso's tail and shoulders drooped. "They're taken to be raised in other slave houses across the empire. That way we can't raise real families so we aren't a real threat, at least that's what a guard told me."
Anton didn't want to ask how she came upon such information. "Makes sense. From their perspective at least. Divide and conquer. But...Kal's stayed with her mother."
"Kal was the exception. Her father made it so."
"What about the other people we know?" Anton wanted to keep the conversation moving. "Did they have to go through what you did?"
"Some. I know Eider hasn't had one fertilised egg-"
That's not strictly true.
"-and-"
"She lays eggs?" Verona chuckled. "Like a chicken?"
"No," Irso growled at Verona. She threw her hands up in surrender as she moved Anton in between them. "Anyway, Marion hasn't had one after Kal. And I know R...He tried. I don't think Rasha has, I'm sure I would have noticed that lumbering bundle of muscle being pregnant. And I'm pretty sure Ulyaa's had eight or ten."
"Hasn't she been...busy."
"Not one at a time," Irso explained. "Usually twins or triplets."
"Wow." Anton looked. "She doesn't look like she's had ten kids."
Irso shrugged and remained quiet.
"Doesn't seem like she's worried about her children either," Verona said softly.
"There's nothing we can do. Worrying about it will just drive you crazy. I'm pretty sure the Seocurians...the masters at least, wanted that."
As they passed another street they found Marion and two Minotaurs. Rasha, three meters tall with blue skin and long red hair, stood out like a sore thumb around the shorter and more muted coloured Beastkin. So too did Kristof, standing next to Marion, though for slightly different reasons. Some of Dennis's deputies were speaking with the small groups of Beastkin. Neither side appeared hostile to one another. Considering how the previous incident resolved itself it was quite a relief. Rasha was the first to spot them and alerted the other two.
Marion, upon seeing them return, smiled faintly when she realized Irso was with them. "Has everything's been sorted?"
"For now."
"Could you keep an eye on her, mother?" Kal asked. “We don't know if she's better yet."
"What even is going on?" Rasha asked. "I was called to help carry some stuff for some of the builders. Then when I came back there's all these people."
"It's fine." Verona chuckled. "There crisis has been stopped."
Rasha didn't look convinced but accepted the answer.
"If someone is asking for Rasha's help." Cetina began. "They can't hate the Beastkin that much. Surely, if they did, they wouldn't want something built by a Beastkin."
"I'm pretty sure most of Danafra was built by Beastkin slaves," Anton said softly. His words were backed by the Beastkin present, Cetina was more than a little embarrassed. "But you are right. If I hated Beastkin to the core I wouldn't have them touch anything."
"Thank the gods you don't," Kal spoke softly.
"Right..." Rasha looked along the groups of Beastkin. "And I still don't understand why you don't..."
"Hello, Anton." Kristof peeled away from the Beastkin and stood by Marion's side. When he stood alongside someone relatively normal, like Marion, it only accentuated his strength. Only Rasha could really compare. "I did my best when I heard E-"
Marion elbowed him in the side. While it clearly didn't hurt the Dwarf Minotaur it stopped him dead.
Marion raised a finger to his lips. "No names. I'm sure they don't want to be embarrassed anymore."
"It'll spread regardless," Irso grumbled. "Can't stop that."
"True. But the less that know the better."
"I am so confused," Rasha admitted. She folded her arms underneath her chest and looked at the ground, saying nothing. Anton could tell she was trying her best to understand but unless she was just told it would be difficult to guess.
Finally Rasha shrugged. “I’m sure that it’ll make sense eventually. I’m not that smart.”
Irso opened her mouth but clamped it shut.
“But I did my best to keep everyone calm when they…” Kristof stopped himself from saying a name. “They heard the noise. I think I did okay.”
“No one’s really going to mess with a guy that’s as wide as a house.” Anton chuckled.
Kristof and Marion laughed. “Yeah. The Seocurian guards didn’t mess with me either. Took about twenty of them to get me.”
“Have you two found any more Beast-kin that are struggling like…You know?” Anton trailed off.
“A few,” Marion admitted. “But we’ve been speaking with them. Some of the women needed a gentle hand while the men mostly needed a good thump from Kristof. That got them out of their mood.”
I don’t know if that’s the best way but if it works…
“I don’t exactly want to use violence-”
“It was just a little punch in the arm,” Kristof said. “I know that’s probably a bit stronger than a normal human’s or a Beast-kin’s but I didn’t hurt them.”
“Some people might just need that.” Anton mused. “Slap them, they’re hysterical. So long as it doesn’t become the norm. Marion, since you’re the Beast-kin representative, can I ask you to keep an eye on those you found?”
“Sure can.” Marion nodded. "I was just talking to Rasha and she said that you were asking if any Beastkin wanted to join you in attacking some goblins? Is that right?"
"Yes. I think it could be a great bonding moment and help to make everyone look past what they are on the outside. After fighting shoulder to shoulder it's a lot easier to see them as a friend. It worked for Kal and I know it’ll work again. Right now it's just Kal and Rasha that are coming. I'd like for some more to come. I was going to ask over dinner..."
"I'll go." A crackling voice spoke up. "If there's room for a Drakeling."
"You want to come?" Cetina asked.
Irso nodded. "If it'll help them I'll do it. I also need to know how to use a sword properly, I can't always rely on my claws."
"What a selfless individual you are." Anton smiled at the Drakeling.
Irso scowled and growled at Anton.
"So that makes three. Are either of you two interested?"
Marion and Kristof exchanged glances.
"I-"
"If you don't want to you don't have to. You probably won't be doing any real sort of fighting but it'll be a good experience to move in an armed group."
"What do you think?" Marion asked Kristof.
"I...I don't know. I don't have any real experience fighting as a soldier or a guard, just the scrapes we got into with each other and the Seocurian guards...Are you coming, Anton?" Anton gave a nod. "Then there probably isn't much to worry about."
Kal held Anton's hand, when he looked at her she shook her head. After everything they had been through Marion did not deserve to die on her second day in Atros from a rogue Goblin spear or rock. Marion saw her concern as well.
"Perhaps not this time." Marion squeezed Kristof's hand. "I mean, we aren't the youngest anymore."
Though Marion's actual build was hidden underneath a layer of aqua fur Anton knew she wasn't frail.
"I'll stay as well then." Kristof returned the hold. "But we will still be taught how to defend ourselves? Right?"
"Yes. That training should start tomorrow after lunch. I'm not sure how it's going to work out but we'll just have to wait and see."
Kal looked a little relieved that her mother wasn't going to be fighting.
"But if you do talk to anyone and they want to join tell them they have to be in the central plaza at dawn. It's going to be a bit of a trek."
"To be honest with you, Anton, I've had enough of walking." Marion chuckled. "I don't think any of us have had to walk so far in our lives."
"Hopefully not again. If everything thing’s settled here we need to keep moving."
"We'll finish things off here then," Marion said.
"I guess I'll go have a nap before dinner then." Rasha scratched the base of her horn. "Not much else to do."
"Please be gentle with Eider and Ulyaa," Kal said after Rasha had taken a step. "It's all a bit...fragile right now."
"Okay..." Rasha frowned but appeared to understand something had happened. "Okay. I'll be delicate then." Rasha raised her hands and looked at her body. "As delicately as my body will let me."
"If you're interested in some practice before we leave tomorrow morning you should head over to the training fields," Anton explained. "They're just through the northern gate of the central plaza. If you need to just ask a guard, they’ll direct you."
"I...I might just do that. Better than staring at the ceiling."
"That doesn't sound bad for us too." Kristof looked at Marion, one of her eyebrows raised. "Once we've talked to everyone here we should consider it. Just like Rasha said, better than just waiting for dinner." Kristof frowned. "Now that sounds like Seocuria."
"Yeah. Might be a good idea to work up an appetite before dinner."
Anton felt Verona wanted to make a snide comment. One quick glance confirmed his suspicion. Nevertheless, she held herself back.
"After we've dropped Irso off at the Smithy and picked up Luna-"
"Dropped off?" Irso asked. Kal gently waved down her question.
"We need to swing by Sam and check up on her baby."
"Oh." Verona pulled a face. "I'd almost forgotten about that. We definitely need to do that, after all the help she's been to me."
"Exactly. With everything that's happened, I'd almost overlooked it."
"Who's Sam?" Cetina leant forward.
"Jeff's wife," Verona replied. "He's the bald guy that you met just after we arrived. And she's pregnant, after a long time, so we just need to make sure that everything's okay. Well, those two are. I can't do much to help her."
"So we need to get going. If we don't see you before dinner we'll see you then."
Anton gave a final wave, one returned by all the Beastkin present, before they began moving back to the main street.